Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back disability and right leg/hip disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or chronic condition within one year post-service. The VA examiner opined that the current conditions are not related to service.

The Board denied service connection for DJD and DDD of the lumbar spine and DJD of the cervical spine, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service. The Veteran's claims were remanded for further development regarding herbicide exposure but this was not completed.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back disability is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to outstanding service treatment records and the need for additional medical examinations. The claims will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was not incurred or aggravated during his service and arthritis may not be presumed to have been so incurred. The preexisting lumbar spine disability is found not to have been aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that a new medical opinion is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection, including consideration of lay statements and in-service symptoms.

The Veteran does not have a current right knee disability or tinnitus.,There is no medical evidence linking the Veteran's low back disability to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, arranging a new VA examination to assess the severity of his spine disability, and readjudicating both his increased rating claim and TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cervical and lumbosacral spine disabilities are related to his in-service helicopter crash, and service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back and right shoulder disabilities are service-connected, with a rating of 30%.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for an examination.

The Board finds that the reduction in the rating for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, degenerative disc disease, and intervertebral disc disease from 40 percent to 20 percent was not proper due to lack of improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of in-service vaccinations, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity neurological disability, left lower extremity neurological disability, and right lower extremity neurological disability was denied. The Board found no current diagnosis or disability related to his adverse reaction to in-service vaccinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and SSA records, scheduling appropriate examinations, and readjudicating the claims.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back disability and granted service connection. The Veteran's current lumbosacral strain is related to his military service.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess his low back disorder, left leg tarsal tunnel syndrome, and left foot hallux valgus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for appropriate VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA and that it is related to his military service. For the low back disorder, the Veteran's claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or relation to military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability caused or aggravated his cervical spine disability and addressing the issue of direct service connection for his headaches.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability in service and denied the Veteran's claims for low back injury, left hip pain, and left leg weakness as not related to his military service.